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Ghost Children

For the past week, and for the next couple of weeks, we have the absolute pleasure of having my daughter, Sarah, and her three-year-old son, Ian, staying with us. (We had the pleasure of her husband, Jon, staying with us for a week, but now he’s back at school.) So, there all kinds of different noises in our house right now— little feet pitter-pattering across the floor, high-pitched giggles, conversations that begin with the words, “Grandma, we have to talk…” It’s simply delightful.

But we’ve also learned that when Ian comes to visit — or any of the grandchildren for that matter— other things happen in our old house. The footsteps across the ceiling when no one is upstairs but sleeping babies return. I keep catching glimpses of something or someone out of the corner of my eye. Doors open, things are moved. Perhaps it’s just mischief. Perhaps it’s the attraction of children in the house once again.

So, this week, I thought I’d turn the tables and find some stories about children who are ghosts. Making noise, playing games, and causing mischief in their own, unique ways.

The first story is from Ghost City, a group of paranormal investigators from New Orleans. In this story, they are doing an investigation of the old Musee Conti Wax Museum. The museum had decided to close its doors, so Ghost City reached out to the General Manager to see if they’d be interested in allowing them to do a paranormal investigation. The Museum agreed and this is part of what the investigators found:

“On our private investigation, every single group encountered the ghosts of children. Whether it was the ghostly voices of children, or even seeing small, child-like shadow people, the ghosts of children seemed to be filling the Museum on the night we were there. To be honest, it was a little unsettling. We were not even aware that the ghosts of children were haunting this French Quarter location. Aside from a few other voices, it seems as if all of our interactions were with the ghosts of children.

The most interesting encounter happened upstairs near the ballroom. Gretchen and I were sitting in the hallway on a couch. There was a slight commotion in the hallway, the sounds of movement, and the shadow of a child appearing out of nowhere. Gretchen heard the movement but did not see the shadow. I saw the shadow seemingly rise out of the floor. We looked at each other. I had thought that she had also seen it. She didn’t, she was responding to the sound of movement. What makes this event much more interesting is that right before this happened I recorded an EVP of a child responding to me. I had said, “You know I cannot see you, but if you come up to me and talk, I can hear you”. The voice responded, “Do you want to see me?” To say that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience would be pretty accurate.”

The Ghost City website also gave me a lead to where I might find some more children ghosts, the Andrew Jackson Hotel, also in New Orleans. They said: “The Andrew Jackson Hotel has perhaps the most famous stories about ghosts of children haunting it. A former Boy’s Home in the early 1800’s, the building which houses the Andrew Jackson has a long history of housing children. Our best guess is that the ghosts of these children can be traced back to its days as a Boy’s Home. One of the stories that gets told about the Andrew Jackson Hotel is that the boys who haunt the Hotel died in a fire. However, our researchers have not been able to find anything to suggest that this building actually burned down. As a matter of fact, we have found evidence that completely contradicts this claim.

While staying at the Andrew Jackson Hotel, many guests have reported hearing children playing in the hallways and in their rooms. Of course, when they go to look, there are no children there. A few people have even seen the apparition of a young boy, which fits with what we know the history is.”

So, once again I made my way to a paranormal researcher’s favorite research venue on haunted hotels – Trip Advisor – to see what “real” guests say about their stays at the Andrew Jackson. Here are their reviews:

“When I made the reservation for my mom and me, I was not aware of the its “Haunts.” I chose it for its character and historic appeal, it was not until my first night when I heard the whispers in the walls and the pitter patter of children’s feet coming up the stairs. I was not afraid, but rather intrigued! So, I went out and explored the rest of the hotel and took pictures of an orb, yes, I had a sighting! But don’t let this strike you with fear. All of my little ghosts were very friendly and playful! Just don’t be surprised when you wake up with the tv turned to cartoon network. Overall this may not be a hotel for little ones, because you may hear giggles that don’t belong to them… but it is surely a place to stay in the French Quarter!”

“Though I read the hotel was haunted I did not experience anything out of the ordinary with the exception of one night I heard what sounded like people running up and down the hall outside my door. When I got up to look, no one was there.”

“Let me start by saying I didn’t believe in hauntings. We came to NOLA for an overnight stay to meet family. How cool is it that the rooms with balconies have you walk out a window to get out there? While we were getting ready for a night on the French Quarter, they kept having ghost tours come by. I thought that was neat but thought nothing else about it. We went out to Bourbon St, had a great time, and came back around 2:30 to get in bed. As I started to doze off we all (there were 4 in the room) heard a loud thud. I laid there for a second thinking that was the room next door but heard nothing else. Of course, that was a bit scary. But as we dozed off to sleep the next time, we heard metal being drug beneath our bed. This time we got up, turned on the lights and there was nothing remotely metal there. Thoroughly freaked out, I jumped back in bed with my roommate and began crying. It was like an episode of scared straight! We didn’t end up sleeping until almost 5:30 in the morning. Another family across the hall heard voices and felt something running their fingers through their hair. This indeed made me believe in the hauntings for sure. Would also like to think the staff, Troy, Jeffers, and guy that was there during the day whose name I cannot remember and the lady that brought around our breakfast. This was a stay we will never forget!!”

“Ok now for the fun stuff… On the last morning of our stay, my husband got up early and went for a run. After he left I fell back asleep. A short while later I was woken up because I had the feeling that someone got in bed with me. I turned over to ask my husband how his run went but I was alone. After my husband returned we met up with friends who were also staying in the hotel and found out that they had a similar experience. Her husband got up to use the restroom. She felt someone get in her bed but realized it wasn’t him when he opened the bathroom door a short while later. So… Is the hotel haunted? I don’t know but it’s a great vacation story!”

“The last night dear husband was awakened by fingers jabbing into his back, about six times and it wasn’t me….it took him a little to settle down after that (glad he didn’t wake me up.)”

It’s funny, Sarah informed me just this morning that she woke up by having little fingers jabbing into her too. Good thing those fingers were attached to a very much alive and lively little boy!

1 Comment

Mary Jordan

Terri I love your books and your short stories. I too have had a ghost or spirit play with my hair when I would go to my sister in laws house before it caught on fire. I would say to it “ I know Charlie I have kind hair the kind that belongs on a horses butt.” Then it would stop awhile and come back the next time I was there . Here is a most recent one I with to my sister in laws mothers funeral last Thursday and the church had prepared food afterwards and invited us all out. So as we were setting there talking at the church getting ready to leave. Some one tapped me on the shoulder. I looked around and no one was there. I think it was the lady we just buried letting me know she was there with us.